X-Ponies!
by squitteroo
Summary: An epistolary novel, X-Ponies! tells the story of six young ponies whose latent mutant powers caused them to be feared and hated by the outside world.
1. Chapter 1

_Editor's Note:_

_After the Battle of Ponyville, I collected all the surviving letters of seven of the key participants: Applejack, Rainbow Dash, Rarity, Pinkie Pie, Fluttershy, Princess Celestia, and myself. The following have been arranged chronologically and taken together, form valuable primary sources of the disaster that was to befall the land of Equestria._

**1 (Twilight Sparkle)**

Dearest Princess Celestia,

Today I learned an important lesson about friendship: it means getting over your differences and figuring out what you have in common. This evening, Pinkie Pie, Rainbow Dash, and Applejack wanted to throw a huge party with dancing and music, but Rarity, Fluttershy and I just wanted a chance to sit with our friends and talk. We argued and argued and finally agreed to have a big dinner, with dancing during dessert that led to a big pudding fight! It ended up being a great evening, and all because we remembered that, despite our differences, we still wanted to spend the evening together!

Hope things are well in the Royal City of Canterlot. Say hi to Shining Armor for me, and tell him he's the best big brother I could ever hope for!

Your student,

Twilight Sparkle

ps. This is not necessarily related to my studies in the magical power of friendship, but it's been on my mind and I figured that you would be a good pony to ask. Have you ever heard of anypony getting a second cutie mark? Everyone knows that your cutie mark appears on your flank when you discover the thing that makes you special – mine has been a sparkle ever since I decided I wanted to study magic – but what would it mean to get a second one? Apart from people getting the cutie pox, I've never heard of that.

But yesterday, I was brushing my mane and I noticed that on my back, there seems to be some kind of orange bird. At first, I thought it was Pinkie Pie playing a practical joke and tried to scrub it off. But it's not paint…the orange bird is there to stay. I don't know what this means; do I have two special purposes? I haven't told anyone else yet, and I've combed my mane in a way so that nopony can see this extra mark. Please let me know if there is something wrong with me!

pps. Wow, that ps was longer than my whole letter! You can see where my mind is!

* * *

Dear Twilight Sparkle,

There is nothing wrong with you. It is not common to get a second cutie mark, but neither is it unheard of. It will not keep you from pursuing the things you love, and it may even help you in your goals and dreams. Thank you for telling me about this. I am so grateful to have your trust and friendship.

I'm sad to give you some bad news as well as the good; the second cutie mark is not very well understood and, like all creatures, we ponies tend to be afraid of what we do not understand. I wish that we as a community would be more willing to discuss the second cutie, because then young ponies like you wouldn't have to worry. But there are ponies that believe – and trust me, they are completely, completely wrong about this! – that the second cutie mark is a curse and a bad portent of…changes to come.

I would certainly tell your closest friends about this; they have proven themselves to you that they will support you no matter what. But I would understand if you continued to hide the mark with your mane, at least for the time being. The people of Ponyville are good and kind, but they can be superstitious as well. Perhaps I am underestimating them. I certainly hope so.

Please keep me up to date with everything in your life. If you do experience any changes of any sort, I will be happy to help you talk through them.

Your friend,

Princess Celestia

Ps. I'll be sure to send your greetings to Shining Armor. He talks about you all the time!


	2. Chapter 2

**2 (Fluttershy)**

Dear Princess Celestia,

It's me, Fluttershy. I really hope I'm not writing too often. I know that you are a princess and are very busy.

Today I learned a very important lesson about myself. Last night, there was a big fire at the Hoofington's House. The Hoofington family all got out safely, thank goodness, but their home and most of their things were destroyed. So this morning, all the Ponies of Ponyville got together to build them a new place to live. My best friends were all out there, of course. Applejack was pulling twice as much lumber as anyone else, and Twilight and Rarity used their unicorn magic to put the pieces together. Rainbow Dash zoomed around the structure, building a roof, while Pinkie Pie made the Hoofington children (Clip, Clop and Flint) feel better with her jokes.

And me? I was no help at all. I'm not strong or fast or funny or magic, and I just felt like my special gift – working with animals – was as useless as can be. I did my best, of course, but I wound up getting in the way more than anything else. I started thinking, "What if my special gift isn't something that ponies actually need?" And that made me pretty sad.

Then this evening, a stranger showed up in Ponyville. He was a big yellow and black stallion with a mane that stuck up everywhere, and it was clear that he was badly hurt. He was limping terribly and had a huge cut on his flank, but everyone was too afraid to go near him to help. Anytime he saw somepony, he would growl and roar at them like a wild animal! That wasn't the only thing different about him, either! Though he had a head and body like a pony, he had paws like a wolf instead of hooves!

"He's dangerous!" everypony was yelling as he limped into the town square. "Stay away from him!" That was when I knew that my special gift was important after all. Talking to strangers is terrifying but I know that when an animal or pony is hurt, they just need a little extra love and care, even if they might be scared to accept it. I walked up to the stranger, who snarled at me.

"It's ok," I told him. "I'm here to help." I came closer and closer, looking him in the eye, and held out a carrot with my teeth. He hesitated, then took a step forward and snarfed down the carrot in one bite.

"Now you need to rest," I told him firmly. "You're hurt." He was struggling to stay on his feet, but the food seemed to have calmed him down a bit. He spoke to me in a rough, growling voice.

"Thanks, sister. But I can't stop. SNUMP is after me, and if I rest for a night…"

"You won't go much further unless you heal," I said, wondering what SNUMP was. "You can rest at my house, and I'll keep you safe."

The pony-wolf smiled at me and nodded, then collapsed at my hooves. I called Apple Jack and Twilight and together they helped carry the stranger into my house. I cleaned his wounds and told my animal friends to keep watch over him. The poor fellow has been sleeping like a baby.

So the valuable lesson I learned was that all gifts are important, even if it doesn't always seem like it. I feel much better about myself now. I hope that doesn't sound like bragging. Oh dear, it probably does, doesn't it?

Thanks for reading and sorry the letter is so long,

Fluttershy

p.s. Twilight showed all of us her second cutie mark, and we were so glad, because many of us have gotten them as well and just been afraid to tell anyone! I've gotten one that looks like a hoof going through a dotted line and Apple Jack has a bright red sunburst. Rarity just has another diamond, which is not suprising, knowing I crossed out the last part because it wasn't very nice…please don't try to read it.

Anyway, Twilight read us your letter – I hope that's ok! – and we all felt a lot better! And Pinkie Pie and Rainbow Dash told us how cool our second marks were and that they wanted them too. What a relief!

Oh dear, this p.s. is also too long, isn't it?

* * *

Dear Fluttershy,

It's always wonderful to hear from you. Don't ever worry about your letters being too long; I quite enjoy them.

It's remarkable that four of the six of you have the double cutie marks…I would guess they usually occur on only one in every twenty ponies, or less. But it's fortunate because it means that you all know what the others are going through and can be that much more supportive.

You said that you wondered what SNUMP is. I am afraid that it is an example of the sort of fear and suspicion that I described to Twilight. SNUMP stands for the Society for Normal and UnMutated Ponies, and it is a group that is very frightened by ponies that are different. Their numbers have been growing in Canterlot and they are always trying to get me to pass new laws that will force second-mark ponies to be quarantined, imprisoned, or worse. Needless to say, I always turn them down – I believe that all ponies are equal – but from the story of the stranger in your town, it sounds like they have taken the law into their own hooves. If you check beneath the mane of your sleeping houseguest, I am all but certain you will find a second cutie mark there as well.

I have always stressed the importance of honesty, but if ponies from SNUMP show up in town, I would not tell them about your second cutie marks. If they starting causing trouble – beyond just hateful speaking, which is unfortunate, but not illegal – please let me know and I will send some hoof soldiers from Canterlot to keep you safe.

Keep in touch, Fluttershy. Equestria needs more ponies like you.

Princess Celestia


	3. Chapter 3

**3 (Pinkie Pie)**

Dear Princess Celestia,

Hi! It's Pinkie Pie! 8-P

Today I learned that even things that you want can have bad parts you weren't expecting. :-O But the flip-flop of that is also true: things that you DIDN'T want can have good parts you weren't expecting! WHAT

Let me explain. It has been a ca-razy day. This morning, I woke up and sprinted to the mirror, like I've been doing every morning since I saw Twilight Sparkle's totally amazing second cutie mark! I was in luck! There, under my mane, was what I thought was a bendy blue arrow. I shrieked and ran out the door. I couldn't wait to tell my friends!

The first house I went to was Fluttershy's. I burst in the room and woke up all her animal friends with a lively song about how I had a second cutie mark like all my very best friends.

"Shhh!" said Fluttershy. "Scowly Lobo is still resting!"

Oops. I had forgotten about her patient with the clawed feet, who was snoring loudly on a couch. I still haven't gotten to be friends with Scowly yet, but now that he's awake more and more often, I'm sure that soon we'll be BFFs!

"It's incredible," said Fluttershy. "I've never seen anypony heal so quickly! I was sure he'd be here at least a month, but he should be as good as gold in just a few days."

"Wow," I said. "You're a really terrific doctor!"

Fluttershy shook her head. "I haven't been doing anything other than giving him food and letting him rest. I think maybe it has something to do with…"

She paused and looked at me. "Are you feeling ok? Did you eat something funny?"

"I feel great!" I said. "And guess what's different about me?"

"Um…you're turning blue?"

"No, I got my second cutie mark…what's this about blue now?" I stepped in front of the mirror and holy oats! My mane, my face, my whole body…were all turning as blue as a blueberry! Even as I watched, the last traces of pink disappeared and my eyes turned a spooky yellow color.

"I…I…I look like a monster!" I stammered. "My name doesn't even make sense any more! Ponies will have to call me Blue-y Pie! Which just sounds stupid!"

Princess, it was the worst day of my whole life! :( I stayed inside Fluttershy's house, afraid to go outside and have ponies stare at me or laugh at me. As the day went by, I kept changing! My beautiful hooves split apart until they looked more like clawless bird talons. My teeth sharpened and all of Fluttershy's pets suddenly grew afraid of me. Finally, my long flowing tail morphed and fused together, finally ending up looking like a snakey blue arrow: just like my cutie mark.

"What did I do?" I wailed, wiggling the three freaky fingers on my front hoof. "Was it something I ate? Maybe too many blue cupcakes? Why is this happening to me?"

"Save it," came a voice. It was Scowly Lobo, who had raised his head from the couch and was glaring at me. "You can drop the pity party. You're not the only freak in Equestria."

"A freak?" I stammered.

"A double-mark," he said. He sat up and lifted his mane with a paw. There was a cutie mark: three long blades. "You've got the double-mark, like me, and the world's gonna see you as a freak. The sooner you two accept that, the better off you'll be."

"T-t-two?" said Fluttershy. "Am…am I a freak too?"

"You tell me, sister," said Scowly. He snatched an acorn from the floor and threw it at Fluttershy. "Catch."

Fluttershy held out her hooves, but the acorn fell right through them, as if she wasn't even there.

"I've seen you falling through chairs, dropping whatever you're holding," said Scowly. "You're a phase shifter, girl. You might be able to pass as normal more than Blueberry and me, but if you're not a double-mark, I'll eat my hat. You should start working on controlling that power of yours."

Fluttershy trembled, but I smiled for the first time in hours. "Powers?" I asked. "Like Superhero Powers? Do you have super powers, Scowly?"

"Yeah," he grunted, lying back down. "I got the power to sleep through incredible racket, fortunately."

Well, this was something else altogether! I can TOTALLY handle being blue if it means I get awesome magic powers! I was so excited, I ran around the house jumping and trying to lift up heavy things. What could be my power be? Finally, I looked up at a high dresser of Fluttershy and thought real hard and suddenly: I was on top of it! I went all the way across the room in a puff of smoke!

Whee! Princess Celestia, this is SO awesome. I can TELEPORT! I can't wait to show this off at my next party. Guests will be all, "Where's Pinkie Pie?" and I'll be all "Behind you!" and then POOF I'll be on the other side of the room and then POOF I'll do a cannonball in the punch!

Anyway, just goes to show, you should always stay happy because even bad things, like body-horror, can turn out FANTASTIC! 8-D

YAAYYYYY

Pinkie Pie

* * *

Dear Pinkie Pie,

I continue to be inspired by your optimism and spirit. I'm sure that you will miss your old pink color, but I'm proud of you for finding the good in the situation. And you will always be Pinkie Pie to your friends, no matter what color you are.

I haven't said so explicitly, since I wasn't sure, but I now believe that anypony who receives a second cutie mark will soon find themselves with physical changes, unusual abilities, or both. I urge you to be supportive to Twilight Sparkle, Applejack, and Rarity in the event that they should change. And be sensitive to Rainbow Dash as well…it might be hard to be the only one in your friend group with only one cutie mark!

Thanks for writing,

Princess Celestia


	4. Chapter 4

**4 (Rarity)**

Darlingest Princess Celestia,

It's your loyal subject and faithful fashion consultant, Rarity Unicorn. I'm writing to you because I'm afraid that the ruffians you spoke of have arrived in town, the most uncouth ponies I have ever had the misfortune of meeting! That's right, SNUMP has come to Ponyville!

I was at the Ponyville Courthouse this morning – Councilpony Breeze asked me personally to help address and seal letters for her reelection campaign! – when a group of around thirty ponies came in the front door and demanded to speak to Mayor Mare. I had never seen anypony from this group before, but they were all wearing white jackets that said "SNUMP" on the back. Goodness me, that sent a chill up my spine! After what you said, I quickly checked my mane to make sure it covered up my second mark, (another beautiful diamond!) and exited the building as discreetly as I could.

But there was nowhere to escape to! All through Ponyville, I saw the white jacketed stallions and mares hanging up signs, handing out leaflets, and talking to everypony they saw. I kept my eyes down and did not talk to anypony, but I was approached by a big SNUMP horse who thrust a piece of paper in my face. He asked me if I had seen "this double-mark freak" and showed me a picture. Princess, it was a terrifying drawing of Scowly! Scowly's mane was standing up like horns and his mouth was filled with razor sharp teeth! It was certainly nothing like the rough but otherwise quite dashing stallion I have gotten to know during his time healing with Fluttershy.

I told him no, but I must have not sounded very convincing, because he squinted his eyes and kept asking me questions! He told me that Scowly was a wanted criminal, that he had scratched and wounded several ponies already. The SNUMP stallion also said that SNUMP had heard about the recent fire at the Hoofington house, and that they believe it was the work of a "double-mark." At this point I became very nervous that my second diamond was showing, and I became so distracted that I had a hard time following what he was saying. He grew angry and started shouting that I didn't care about public safety, when suddenly he stopped and backed away from me, terrified!

I wasn't sure why, but then I saw my reflection in a plate glass window. My whole body, from my nose to my tail, was bright and shining, like I was made entirely out of diamond. Now, people have called me vain before, but I always argue this point, saying that taking pride in your appearance is not vanity if done in a thoughtful way. I must be a little vain, though, for my first thought upon seeing myself was: "Gracious, I'm beautiful!"

I didn't have too long to think this happy thought, though. People started pointing their hoofs and yelling, and I ran away, plowing through anyone who got in my way. Ponies started to chase me, and I became so scared! Finally, I reached the end of an alley, and there was nowhere left to go.

A slender pony with a SNUMP jacket and wearing her mane up in a (most unfashionable) bun stepped from the mob that had followed me. "The contagion has spread faster than I imagined," she declared to all those gathered. "It is important that we isolate those afflicted so we can try to return them to normal, and so we can preserve those still untouched." She approached a Police horse, Officer Truncheon.

"Officer, I have cause to believe that this pony" (meaning me!) "has knowledge of the whereabouts of a dangerous criminal. She is also causing a public safety hazard by her very presence. I demand that you take her into custody so the truth may be ascertained and so that disaster be averted."

Officer Truncheon wasn't sure what to do about this. Police in Ponyville don't normally have much to do – they mostly just help old ladies cross the street – so being ordered by a stranger to arrest another pony was wildly unfamiliar to him. He looked around at the crowd for somepody to tell him what to do.

"Well?" demanded the SNUMP mare with the bunned mane."WHAT'S GOING ON HERE?" yelled a voice from above. I looked up and Rainbow Dash flew down with a flutter of her pegasus wings. I have never been so glad to see anyone in my life. "What's all this racket?"

"We're a public safety group," said the SNUMP mare. "We're here to stop the spread of a most loathsome plague that destroys good towns from the inside out."

"Yeah?" Rainbow Dash asked, putting her arm around my shoulders. "And you're gonna do that by locking up my friend?"

"Freak solidarity," said the mare. "I'll bet she's a double-mark too. Possibly even the one that burned down the Hoofington household…"

Rainbow Dash then said some things that I couldn't possibly repeat in a letter to the royal Princess of Canterlot! When she was done, everpony gathered was murmuring to one another, but Rainbow Dash didn't care. I got on her back and we flew up to the clouds. When I was finally feeling calm, I turned back into my regular, non-diamond form.

Princess, you simply MUST do something about these rogues! I have never been more offended in my entire life!

Thank you for your kind consideration,

Yours most sincerely,

Rarity

* * *

Dear Rarity,

I'm going to tell Shining Armor to send the royal guards to Ponyville. This sort of bullying is absolutely unacceptable in my kingdom. I had no idea that SNUMP had grown so big, nor so outspoken. Constance Pureflank and her followers have gone too far. Until the hoofsoldiers arrive, please try to spread the word – while always being mindful of your own safety! – that having two cutie marks is NOT contagious. No one is sure what makes a pony grow a second mark, but it is not contact with those that do.

Thank you for alerting me for the menace in your community. I hope that things are sorted out quickly.

Your friend,

Princess Celestia


	5. Chapter 5

**5 (Applejack)**

Dear Princess Celestia,

You may recognize this as Twilight's hoof-writing, but it's actually Applejack. She's writing for me because, as of a couple hours ago, I'm blind.

Lemme back up a tick. This evening, we went to Shady Grove Elementary – that is, me and Twilight – to see my little sister Apple Bloom in her class play. My sis had the lead role in Les Mares, and we were plum excited to hear her sing. Twilight and I showed up a whole hour before the show started so we could sit in the front row of seats in the school gymnasium.

The show started, and Apple Bloom was just as cute as the dickens as Jean Poupon, with her gray coat and her fake beard. I was awful proud of her! Towards the end of the first act, though, I started feeling a mite funny. It was like I had drank a whole trough of coffee, or like I was trying not to sneeze, or like I was a balloon about to pop…kind of all of them combined. I figured I was just extra emotional, what with all those little fillies singing that one song:

"Do you hear the ponies sing, say do you hear them break the chains, it is the whinny of the horses that have put aside their reins."

Anyhoo, this song, and that it was sung by my sister, and that I was watching it with my best friend ever…well, it all made my head swim and my eyes tear up, but after the curtains closed, the feeling didn't stop. I felt something powerful rising inside me and the last thing I saw was Twilight's face as she asked me a question. By this point, my vision was red and I knew a part of me was about to explode and without thinking I twisted my head up to the ceiling. And some powerful force flowed through me and shot from my eyes like a breach in a dam.

I was as terrified as a turkey facing a coyote. I could barely see anything besides red-orange light, but I heard smashing and screaming and the sounds of rubble hitting the ground. Twilight told me later what she saw: bright beams of light shining outta my eyes and wrecking everything they touched: the ceiling, the curtain, the stage.

So I shut my eyes, but still chunks of the ceilings were falling and the audience was panicking and running around. I didn't know what to do or where to go, and I figured maybe I deserved to be buried in this mess I had made. But Twilight, bless her heart, wasn't having that. She shouted at me and I realized I did want to escape…if only to rebuild the school that I had just blasted the roof off of. But it's tricky making your way through a stampede with your eyes closed, I tell you what.

Once again, though, Twilight rescued me. It's hard to explain, but all of a sudden I could feel her thoughts in my head…like we shared the same noggin. She told me–without sayin a word–not to worry, that she would guide me out. Each step I took, I heard Twilight in my head, guiding me away from crowds and falling rocks, till we finally burst out the front door and headed for the hills. We're hiding in the forest now with Spike (who's using his dragon magic to send you these letters), and I've still got my eyes scrunched close. I'm afraid of what'll happen if I peek. Fluttershy found us to tell us all the little fillies got out ok, but I still feel terrible. I reckon when your royal guards come they should lock me up somewhere safe in case I open my eyes by mistake.

I prolly shoulda let Twilight tell this story (since she's doing all the actual writing anyway) but she said you'd wanna hear it from me.

Applejack

(No response from Princess Celestia)


	6. Chapter 6

**5 (Rainbow Dash)**

Princess Celestia,

What the flip? Where are those royal guards you promised us?

This whole stupid town has gone loco. After Applejack blew up the elementary school with her laser eyes, mobs started grabbing ponies and demanding to see their necks where the second mark appears. I was at Fluttershy's house, hanging out with my main man Scowly when there was a knock at the door. It was a bunch of SNUMP chumps, along with some local ponies. They demanded to search the house, saying they had information that "freaks" were inside.

Well, Rainbow Dash don't scare. I told those jerks to beat it, but they forced their way past me and started tearing through the house. When they entered the room where Scowly was, he growled at them and then – this is totally awesome – three blades shot out from each of his front hoofs. I thought that finally someone was going to kick the tails of these stupid CHUMP ponies! But then Fluttershy yelled something – or at close to yelling as she ever gets – and Scowly calmed down a little. Fluttershy then held his hoof, and the two walked through the wall of the house.

I couldn't follow them, so I flew out the door and soared around to get a picture what was going on. It was nuts! There in the town square was Mayor Mare with a megaphone, declaring a state of emergency. Councilpony Breeze and the main CHUMP mare were ordering the police to go door to door to arrest any double-marks. I saw a mob chasing little Flint Hoofington, who was shooting sparks out of his ears. There was also a group of ponies dragging the butcher, Morph Janus, off to Ponyville Prison, even though he hadn't done a flipping thing! I was angrier than I've ever been. I mean, two destroyed buildings and little yelling and this town turns completely paranoid! It's official: the Ponyville Ponies are as far from awesome as it's possible to be.

Then – even though I was a hundred feet up – I heard Twilight's voice in my head, telling me to meet at the outskirts of Everfree forest. Though I felt bad about abandoning the ponies being chased, I zoomed away from this cud-forsaken town. After several minutes of scanning the forest, I found my friends. They were in the shadow of an apple tree: Applejack squinting, Twilight staying close to her, Pinky Pie teleporting a few feet off the ground and falling back to earth while Spike laughed, Fluttershy coaxing Scowly to eat an apple, Rarity struggling with a suitcase filled with clothes. I asked her what the suitcase was for, but it was Twilight that spoke.

"We can't stay in Ponyville," she said. "It isn't safe for ponies like us."

"Baloney," I told her. "Why we should let all these whiners chase us away? This is our town as much as theirs! Plus you guys are all mega-awesome cooler now! And I've always been completely rad, even without a double-mark. I say we take on any jerk ponies who don't like us! Make them leave!"

"Finally, someone's talkin' sense," said Scowly, and we grinned at each other.

"Dash," said Twilight, "we decided as you were flying over. We're clearly not wanted here anymore, and we can't change ponies' minds by getting in their faces. We need to give Ponyville some space, learn to control our new abilities, and get Princess Celestia's support. We can come back when we can prove that we're here to help them, not to hurt them."

Ok, so I get where she's coming from, I guess, but Princess, you're on my side, right? I mean, we could clean up this stupid town, outnumbered or no, especially if – AHEM – we had the royal guards here to help us. AHEM AHEM.

Anyway, I was outvoted, so we chose flight over fight. Now we're walking to Canterlot, so we'll see you in a day or two, I guess.

Rainbow Dash

Oh, I almost forgot! I'm officially one of the gang now! That's right, I just got a second cutie mark like my friends! It looks like a horseshoe, but one tip is red and the other is blue. Pretty cool, huh?

* * *

Dear Rainbow Dash,

DO NOT COME TO CANTERLOT.

Go over the Misty Mountains and follow the Andaloosa River until it crosses the Equus. Tell Twilight to keep sending out psychic calls when you get this far; I should be able to sense her and give her further directions. (This seems as good a time as any to mention that I, like you, am a "double-mark" and that I have several telepathic abilities similar to Twilight's.)

Destroy this letter. Please continue to send me correspondence; I'm quite glad you have Spike with you to send letters with his dragon magic. Still, we're going to have to be cautious. When I do send you mail, I shall be quite vague and sign my name with an X.

Remember, stay away from Canterlot.

Princess Celestia


	7. Chapter 7

**7 (Rarity)**

Darlingest…X, (Is that correct? Should we call you this in letters from now on?)

It's Rarity, your faithful subject and friend. My friends and I are continuing our pilgrimage through the hills and vales of Equestria, on our way to see your new lodgings. The journey has indeed been perilous, but fortunately, we find ourselves blessed with an extraordinary range of new abilities.

Perhaps my friends have informed you of these new gifts, but in case they haven't, let me tell you. I'm now able to turn my body into the most beautiful frosty diamond you could imagine. Fluttershy has become some sort of ghost, able to walk through solid objects. Pinky Pie can teleport: what a headache for the rest of us! Rainbow Dash is still waiting to see what ability arises from her second cutie mark (It looks like a shoe to me…perhaps she'll finally develop some fashion sense.) Applejack supposedly has light that shoots out of her eyes, though she refuses to open them even a crack. And Twilight's power is the most mysterious of them all.

We'll be walking –we six, plus Scowly and Spike– and we'll suddenly hear Twilight's thoughts bubble up in our heads. Usually the most banal things: "I can't believe I forgot to pack my library books" or something of that nature. Still, it's always embarrassing to eavesdrop on Twilight's internal dialogue. It's not just her thoughts that are intrusive, either. Last night, I had a dream that Scowly and I were paddling in a row boat on a river and…well, the details aren't important. What matters is that Twilight was suddenly there in the dream, splashing in the water. You may say that friends appear in dreams all the time, but today she has definitely avoided making eye contact with me. Twilight's – unintentional, I'm sure! – invasions of mental privacy are part of why I now spend most of my time in diamond form. For whatever reason, I can't hear her thoughts when I'm crystalline.

Still, I'm glad that Twilight has the powers she does, if only for the sake of poor Applejack. At first, she just gave Applejack (whose eyes, remember, are always closed) directions on where to walk. Well, as you can imagine, it was tiring for the rest of us to hear "turn left" or "hop over this rock" in our heads all day, but soon Twilight grew more controlled so that she could "speak" telepathically to Applejack alone. And then they grew even more sophisticated: by our third day travelling, Twilight had managed to form some kind of psychic link so that Applejack saw everything through Twilight's eyes. Pretty remarkable, no?

Apart from this remarkable development, our adventures have been rather dull: day after day of hiking, camping, and grazing. I daresay we'll arrive within the week. I quite anticipate the pleasure of your company, and I long for a warm bed and a hot bath after this trial of (shudder) "roughing it."

Yours,

Rarity

Dear "Frost" (more code names, I think, for safety's sake. I hope you find this satisfactory.),

Got your correspondence. Glad to hear you are sticking together as a team.

As this letter will not be heading to Ponyville, I feel at ease disclosing a bit more than when last I wrote. Most of it is general knowledge, at any rate; at least to ponies not trekking through the wilderness.

To put it simply, there was a coup in Canterlot. Strong anti-"doublemark" factions had been brewing in the Royal Guard for sometime, and when they were ordered to arrest SNUMP leaders and protect "freaks", many in the officer corps revolted. Under the leadership of a charismatic captain, a faction of the guard rose up against me. Now they rule Canterlot and have allied with the SNUMP ponies that control Ponyville. Both cities should be considered highly hostile, though I firmly believe that there are individuals within both cities that are welcoming and tolerant, just afraid to speak up.

I hope to see you soon. We have much to discuss.

X


	8. Chapter 8

**8 (Pinkie Pie)**

Dear Mom and Dad Pie,

HIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII It's me!

We're totally supposed to using code names for mail now, so I was gonna write you a letter and sign it "Nightcrawler" and I was like "Wait, they don't know the code, they'll think that a worm is writing them a letters, that's redonkulous," so I figured I'd tell you in the letter what the code name means but then Twilight Feenix was all "you can't explain the code, that defeats the point" so I didn't know what to do but then I figured, if I wrote the letter you'd probably recognize my hoof-writing.

Have you guessed who it is yet? :D (hint: I'm your daughter and I used to be bright pink)

You're probably worried sick about me after I left town, so I wanted to tell you that after days and nights of traveling, I've arrived at a really, really cool place! I'm not supposed to tell you exactly where it is, so I won't. But it's this stupendo-awesome mansion with a big fancy gate around it, and all these hidden rooms inside!

When we arrived, Princess Celestia X was there waiting for us. She gave us all big hugs and welcomed us inside the fence. I was so excited that I ran up the side of the building – I can do that now, with my weirdo-freaky monkey hooves – and looked around at the mountains and the setting sun. But then my new best friend Scowly Wolf-erine started grumbling about getting some food to eat, so I teleported down and joined my buddies on a tour of the grounds.

A lot of the rooms are neat, but there are two that are so ca-razy that I have to talk about them first. One! There's a neat-o SCIENCE lab with a real-life mad scientist inside! Seriously! He's a big huge blue unicorn and he had glasses and a lab coat and everything! He was using his unicorn horn to pour a bubbling green liquid inside a test tube. I guess he's kind of jumpy cause when I said "HI!" to him, he spilled all the green goo on the floor and it ate right through it! He told us (very shyly) that his name is Furman Brainstorm, but in letters we're only supposed to call him Beast.

Beast said he had just finished building two special helmets. The first one is for X…it's a shiny metal helmet that she can wear when she needs to block her own brain powers. Apparently, X has crazy magic brain powers like Feenix and can read minds and could even make someone tap dance if she wanted to! X doesn't like to do that, though, since she is so nice, so she had Beast make her a helmet that no psychic waves can go through, for when she's sleeping or relaxing. It looks so cool, too! Not as cool as the crown she used to have, but still pretty nifty majifty.

The other helmet thingy is for Applejack…and I know I'm supposed to be using code names, but her code name doesn't make sense until I explain this helmet. It's a red visor that will let her control the death bolts of light in her eyes! She put it on and she was so happy to see again that she started galloping around. We all cheered, except Feenix seemed kind of down; maybe she was jealous that SHE didn't get a cool helmet. Anyways, the visor looks like Applejack has one eye, so Beast says that she should be called Cyclops, after a character from the Trot-yssey. He's the kind of pony that likes dorky jokes like that, but it stuck, so she's Cyclops now. Forgot I ever called her A_ J_, ok?

Ok, ok, there's one more room that's so cool it will LITERALLY explode your little pony brain! Ready! This other room can be literally whatever you want. I'm not even joking. You can be like "Room, make a million cup cakes" and there will be cupcakes and you can even taste them (though you don't get full) or you could be like "Room, make a volcano" and OH CRUDBUCKETS you better get out of the way, cause it will erupt.

Beast said it's filled with holograms, and he built it so that we could train. He said that he would design obstacles to get past so that we could get super-good at our powers. That's pretty neat-o, but I also think we should use it so that we can see the best band ever (Hall and Oats, natch) in the front row! Beast calls it the Danger Room, but I call it the Party Room! We got into a long argument about that, but don't worry. I can tell we're going to be best friends.

Since the hideout used to be an old mansion, there are a bunch of rooms and we get a roomie! YAYY! It's just like we're at Stagwarts learning magic. I would have been happy being roomies with anyone but thought I'd be Wolf-erine's since he needs the most cheering up. Ol' diamond-flank Frost really wanted to room with him, though, and we bickered till X that at our ages "young mares and colts" shouldn't share rooms. Whoa, X! I mean, I didn't want to be Wolf-erines Very Special Somepony…gross! Frost probably did, though, since she's always trying to go on fancy dancey dates and flap her eyelids.

Anyway, it worked out perfectly. I get to room with Fluttershy Sprite, who is super awesome great and my other best friend and sometimes she holds my hoof and we walk through walls and then we can spy on everyone! (Especially cause I'm basically invisible now when it's dark out: one reason that blue is better than pink). Cyclops and Feenix wanted to be roomies, and so did Frost and Umm…you know that one pony whose name rhymes with Smainbow Smash? I came up her nickname! She finally figured out that she can move metal with her mind: so she wanted to be called Metal-Mind. Way boring, right? So I said that since she has a magnet cutie mark, she should call herself Mag-Neat-O! Anyway, Frost and Mag-Neat-O are roomies and so are Spike and Wolf-erine.

Exciting times! You are probably wondering when I'll come home, but don't worry. I am better than fine. And you're probably wondering how to write back since you don't know where I am, but Spike said that if you write a letter (even with no address) and stick it in a magic purple flame, he should be able to sense it with his dragon powers and burp it up! So please let me know if you get this!

I love you very very very very very much! Yaaaaaaaaaay!

First pink, now blue, always your little filly,

"Nightcrawler"

* * *

(No response)


	9. Chapter 9

**9 (Applejack)**

Howdy Apple Bloom,

It's your big sister.

First off, I wanted to say I'm real sorry for wrecking your school. It breaks my heart that I didn't get a chance to help rebuild it…or to see the second half of your play. You were so good as Jean Poupon, and I was so proud. I know you and your friends are still waiting for your cutie marks to appear, but it wouldn't surprise me if you had some sort of singing or acting mark. Course, you're talented in so many ways – aw shucks, I'm getting sappy.

I wanted to tell you that I'm safe and living with friends, though I can't tell you who in case this letter gets intercepted. You're a smart little filly, and I reckon you'll figure out who's who when I use code names. We're practicing using our new powers so that we can control them and use them to help other ponies. That's maybe the hardest for me; I feel like my power, laser eyes, is good for nothing for wrecking, and it's hard to see why Equestria would need any more of that.

Every morning, we get up, eat breakfast and head over to the Party Room. (You can guess who named it that…her nickname is Nightcrawler now.) Each day our trainers, who we'll call Beast and X, have a new challenge that they throw our way. Today was all about agility. They had the Room set up as a obstacle course, with twirling fire-whips, laser beams that flickered on and off, swinging pendulums, and gaping pits.

This was pretty easy for Nightcrawler, who could just giggle and disappear and reappear anywhere in the room she wanted to go, and for Sprite, who can just let obstacles pass through her without even feeling them. For the rest of us, though, it was pretty tricky. Me, in particular. I can't fly like Sprite or "Mag-neat-o" (Nightcrawler came up with that name, too), and the goggles I have to wear really limit my peripheral vision. For exercises like this, I do my best to blast the heavy stuff out of the way with eye beams and try to avoid the rest.

Fortunately, I always get some help from my roommate. My roommate Phoenix (someone you know; she came to see you in the play) and I have formed a sort of mental connection. During our trip through Equestria, I came to see through her eyes…and I mean that literally. Now that I have my visor, we don't need to do that any more, but I still get glimpses of what she's seeing or feeling. More than a couple times, I avoided the firewhips because Phoenix noticed they were bearing down on me and I sensed her worry. We're just two peas in a pod, I reckon.

Frost has been working hard to design us special outfits that we can wear when we travel in unfriendly neighborhoods. They're like jumpsuits, I guess. They cover up our cutie marks, so we can be more or less anonymous, and they've also got flexibility and lots of padding; I guess she reckons we'll get into a scrap or two. I wish you could see them. They're black and gold (I'm guessing Frost made 'em that color to match Wolverine's fur color, since she's taken a shine to him) and they've got a big X on the back (in honor of X, our leader).

X is sending us out on some sort of mission today. I hope it's to Ponyville…if so, maybe I'll get a chance to see you. I sure do miss ya, little sis.

Love,

Applejack

* * *

Dear Applejack,

It's so good to hear from you! Please don't apologize for knocking down my school's roof. I know it was an axsident and anyways it means I got some days of vacation. I wish you could have seen the ending of the play though. There's the super sad song I sing and I bet it would've made Granny Smith cry.

Things since you left have gotten pretty bad. Mayor Mare stepped down and that SNUMP leader, Constance Pureflank, took her place. She has her goons search the houses every day, and if they find anypony with two marks, he or she is taken to prison. She's suspicious of our brother, because he's so strong, but since he doesn't have a double-mark, there's not much they can do. Still, they always come by and harass us. The best thing to come from this whole mess is that my friends and I are closer than we ever were before.

I'm on your side, big sis. I don't believe that double-marks are bad, like we learn in school now. I know that you and your friends are the best, and would never do anything bad on purpose. Be careful if you come back! You'll have to be sneaky, but I'd love to see you.

Thanks for telling me about the Party Room! It sounds super awesome. Tell your friends I said hi, especially "Phoenix." (What's your code name? Tell me Tell me)

Love you lots,

Apple Bloom


	10. Chapter 10

**10 (Twilight Sparkle)**

Dear Shining Armor,

It's your little sister Twilight! How are you?

It's been a crazy couple weeks, huh? I imagine since you're in the royal guard and all, things must be especially stressful for you, what with the Princess having to leave. Are you doing ok?

I wanted you to know that I'm safe and sound and living with good friends. We've taken on a task just like yours: to protect the realm of Equestria! We want to prove to everypony that "double-marks" are nothing to be afraid of…and of course, we want to keep everypony safe.

We had our first mission outside the training center today. We X-Ponies (that's our group name, after our leader "X") heard there was trouble in the nearby town of Se-saddle, so we flew there in our new pony jet and looked around. All the residents were hiding in their homes, and nopony would talk to us, so we weren't sure what to do. "Mag-neat-o" (sorry, I have to use code names for everypony else) said that the townsfolk were being unfriendly because of our second-marks, but I wasn't so sure. Even though there were no signs of trouble, the town felt wrong to me…like all the life had gone out of it.

Then "Nightcrawler's" sixth sense started tingling. We felt the ground shake and "Sprite" and Mag-neat-o took to the skies to see what was going on. A second after they did, the strangest thing stomped over a hill into view. It looked like a pony, but it was made out of steel and was taller than any building.

"DESTROY," it said, in a low robotic voice, and it galloped right toward us, crushing apple carts and park benches as it did so. A set of rocket launchers protruded from its side and began firing. We dove out of the way as the missiles hit the ground. From the under-belly of the beast, a gun emerged and started firing lasers.

"Panic!" yelled Nightcrawler, but I ordered everyone to stay still. I'm kind of the group leader, when X isn't around. Per my directions, we split up, so each of us could tackle a different part of the robot. "Wolverine" jumped on the front right leg and began using his claws to tear out cords and wires, while Mag-neat-o twisted the metal in the other leg so badly that the mechanical knees could no longer bend. I think she could have ended the fight all by herself, but a rocket exploded close by her and she was knocked cold.

I wasn't sure how my power would be able to help, so I just tried to avoid explosions and sent what I was seeing to "Cyclops" telepathically. We work best as a team, you see, and I knew that after Mag-neat-o went down, Cyclops had the best chance of saving us. Sure enough, she came up with a pretty brilliant plan. She thought-spoke it to me, and I mentally passed it on Nightcrawler. Nightcrawler's job was to do what comes naturally to her: be distracting.

"Hey!" she shouted, appearing right in front of the mega-ponies metal face, which was as big as a bus. "How's it going? My name's (and of course she forgot to use her code name)! Do you want to be friends? Cause if you do, I gotta tell you that our friendship is contingent on you not shooting missiles at my other friends. Our friendship needs boundaries, don't you think, Chomper? Is it alright if I call you Chomper?"

The mega-pony stretched out his neck and snapped his steam-shovel teeth at Nightcrawler, but she teleported out of harm's way with a giggle. "Down here, Chomper!" The mega-pony kept biting at Nightcrawler as she flicked down, down, closer to the ground, until it eventually put its huge cranium next to the bush where Cyclops was hiding. And, boy, Cyclops really let loose.

A powerful blast of light burst of our her visor, brighter than even the one that crashed the school. The laser knocked the robot's head clean off and it (the head) rolled and rolled, knocking over trees and stop signs. The rest of the mega-pony came crashing to the ground; I guess, just like with real ponies, the brain is in the noggin.

We're all back together at our base now, recovering from our scratches. I thought I'd take this time to warn you about these monsters, since they may be more of them and the Royal Guard is trying to protect citizens just like we are! You have your work cut out for you, but we're here to help!

I hope you are doing well.

Love,

Twilight Sparkle

* * *

Dear Twily,

I'm so happy you wrote me! These are dangerous times and the more I can protect you, the happier I'll be.

I'm afraid I have to straighten a few things out for you. First of all, the Royal Guard won't have to fight the "monsters" you describe: we built them! I know they seem menacing, but they're just designed to keep the peace and make sure the citizens stay safe and orderly. I'm sure your intentions were good, but by destroying the SENTINEL (Standard Equine Neo-Transport Involving Nuclear Electricity Lasers), you actually made Se-saddle more vulnerable to terrorists and saboteurs. But all is not lost, for Ponyville is producing three SENTINELs per week. Next time you encounter one, surrender and they'll take you to me.

I also have to shatter some illusions you have about Princess Celestia. "X" is the Princess, isn't it? I can't think of another you would follow so blindly. Well, you should know that the Princess is no saint. When she was in command, she used her freak powers to blind those around her. She can bend minds to her will, and she ruled as a tyrant. We just didn't realize it because we were brainwashed. When I discovered the truth about her second mark, I forced her out of power and am now ruling Canterlot in her place.

If you and your friends are with her, I have no doubt she is manipulating you. Get out while you can. Come to Canterlot or Ponyville, and I will keep you safe. If you really are a double-mark (and I have doubts about that; the Princess may have implanted that idea in your mind), I will take you to a doctor who can remove it. I'll be honest: it's not an easy process, but you always succeed in anything you try. I have no doubt in your ability to put this unfortunate phase behind you.

I hope to see you soon. Where are you? If you can't escape, I can come and get you. Please let me know.

Your Big Brother Best Friend Forever,

General Shining Armor


	11. Chapter 11

**11 (Twilight Sparkle)**

Dear Apple Bloom,

It's Phoenix. I'm feeling…down. I guess I feel like I don't have much in the way of family, so I figured I'd write you. Apple Jack and I always enjoy your letters (they're censored, but we can usually tell what you mean), and I guess I've started thinking of you as my little sister too? I hope that's ok…let me know if that's too weird.

Are you singing in any more musicals? I thought you were spectacular in Les Mares! I haven't done a whole lot of acting, but I was once in a production of Death of a Sales-pony. Have you seen that? It's pretty serious, but you could totally handle it.

Want to hear something funny? Applejack and I appear in each other's dreams now! I'll be sleeping and no matter what I'm dreaming about, she'll show up and we'll have adventures in…oh, I don't know. Candy Mountain. Or one time we had to save the world from giant grasshoppers that could shoot rabbits out of their mouths. And in the morning, we can both remember what we did in the dreams!

I wonder if we can visit your dreams sometime! It would be hard, since I think my psychic powers get weaker at a far-away distance, but I'll try if you want me to. Hanging out in dreams is fun if you do it with a good friend. And it's really nice, because in dreams Applejack doesn't have to wear her goggles all the time.

Anyway, just wanted to say hi, and to thank you for being so accepting of your big sister. That's not always…that's something she doesn't take for granted.

Your friend,

Twilight Sparkle

* * *

Dear Twilight!

Oh my goodness! I WISH you were my big sister too! That makes me just as pleased as punch to hear you say, since you've always been one of my role models. Maybe one day you can marry my brother Big McIntosh…then we really would be sisters!

You should totally see if you can visit me in my dreams! That's so wicked cool! I'm going to bed extra early tonight (first time I've ever said that, I guarantee)…see if you and A.J. can find me.

One request if you do keep writing: lots of awesome stories about the Party Room and all your adventures! Those are sooooo cool! I hope I get two cutie marks like you guys when I get older so I can fight crime and stuff like that! So yeah, stories about that…lately Applejack's been skimping on the battle details and just telling me how great you are. Which I'm not disagreeing with, but it's like, jeez, enough already! She sounds like she's talking about her Very Special Somepony! If I wanted to read something cutesy, I'd borrow a book from Rarity.

Anyhoo, it'll be great to get 2 letters a day instead of 1! I'm auditioning for the Filly of the Opera tomorrow. I'll let you know how that goes.

Your "little sister,"

Apple Bloom


	12. Chapter 12

**12 (Fluttershy)**

Dear Princess Celestia,

Um, I hope it's ok that I didn't use your code name. I figure since we're living in the same building and all, the letter's probably not going to be intercepted. And I know you're thinking, "Well, since we live the same building, why doesn't Fluttershy just knock on my door and talk to me rather than wasting my time with a letter?" You're right. I'm sorry.

But I'm not sure I have the courage to tell you in person. You see…I'm breaking a promise by writing this to you, which I know is bad. I'm so nervous, though, I'm not sure what else to do.

Today's mission started out well. We were attacked by more SENTINELs, but by now, they're pretty easy to stop. Rainbow Dash puts up a magnetic shield that stops the rockets and lasers, and we all get behind it (except Scowly, who says that he is "always itching for a fight"). From the safety of the shield, Rainbow Dash breaks the metal legs of the SENTINELs until they fall over. Then we finish it off. Well, the ones who are good at fighting do. I usually check to see if there are any regular ponies nearby who have been hurt.

Today I phased under a collapsed barber shop that had been hit by a rocket, took the hoofs of the two ponies trapped inside, and led them to the surface. Instead of thanking me, though, they started yelling at me and calling me all sorts of terrible names. I backed away, but Rainbow Dash came to my rescue, and she was really mad!

"You dumb ponies!" she yelled. "This 'double-mark' just saved your lives. Is this how you thank her?"

"Get out of here, ya freak," one of the ponies said. "We don't want you."

"YEAH?" said Rainbow Dash, and a beam of metal from the wreckage suddenly shot up and began spinning around like a blender blade. "Do you want THIS?"

"Dash," I said, "let's just go, this isn't worth it." But Rainbow Dash wasn't listening to me.

"Call me a freak again!" she screamed at the cowering ponies, as the whirling metal forced them backwards. "Go ahead, say it!"

"MAG-NEAT-O!" yelled Twilight, running over. "Put that down right now!"

"You're not the boss of me," snapped Dash, and she kept the blade advancing. But suddenly her head snapped up, her face went blank and a weird green light took over her eyes. The beam of metal clattered to the ground.

"I'm sorry about this," Twilight said to the trembling ponies. "We really are here to help. Mag-neat-o, Sprite, follow me." Obediently, Rainbow Dash trotted behind her, still with the same lack of expression. I wasn't sure what was going on, unless we put some distance between us and the ponies. Then Twilight waved a hoof and the green faded from Dash's eyes.

"What did you do to me?" said Dash, turning on her. "Did you…did you just mind control me?"

"You were losing it," Twilight said. "You were putting innocent ponies in danger."

"INNOCENT? Two creeps who wanted to beat up Fluttershy after she saved their lives?"

"I had to keep you from doing something you'd regret…"

"And now you've made it impossible for me to trust you," finished Dash. "You realize this, right?"

And Princess, nopony wanted to talk about this! I figured we'd all discuss it during the post-mission debriefing, but Professor Furman just talked about strategy and science and about how next time Rainbow Dash should just use her magnetism to take over the control circuits of the robots. Not once did we talk about how we were all mad at each other!

This is maybe not my place to say, but I'm not sure we should have roommates. It's sort of made us partner off. Dash only ever talks to Rarity any more and Twilight and Applejack do EVERYTHING together. I wish I could talk to Pinky Pie about what I'm feeling, but…well. You know that it's tricky to have a serious conversation with Pinky, especially now that she can teleport.

When I get lonely these days, I've mostly been talking to Spike, who has been feeling abandoned now that Twilight only wants to hang out with Applejack. He's a good conversation buddy. This evening, however, I went to see Scowly. He was outside, staring at the setting sun. I said hello and we talked awhile. I forget the first part of the conversation, but eventually I made some joke about me liking animals, so it was good that he was part-wolf.

He got really serious and said that he liked me too. Then he said something like "I ain't too good with words, but ever since I saw you, I knew you were special." I giggled, thinking about what Rarity would say if she heard him talk like this. Then I realized that he had gotten completely the wrong idea about what I meant. I mean…he's not my type. I'm not sure I have a type yet, but if I did I don't think it would be Scowly Lobo. He's so…intense.

Sorry, you don't want to read this gossipy stuff. I promise I'm getting to the important part. So after a long and awkward silence, he said, "Tomorrow night some of us are leaving. I want you to come with me."

"Where are you going?" I asked.

"We're going to liberate a town," he said. "Not just fight the robots. We're going to fight anyone who thinks ponies that are different should be locked up. It's time we took this war seriously and stopped putzing around. Fight fire with fire."

"Who's we?"

"First, tell me you're in."

When I said I couldn't promise anything without talking to you, he snapped at me. He made me promise not to tell you, and he wouldn't say who he had been was plotting with. So, as I said, I'm breaking my promise by writing this, but I'm worried that something awful is going to happen.

It's probably nothing, though. Thanks for reading.

Sorry,

Fluttershy

PS. It is really rude to make accusations without proof, but I think he's probably planning to leave with Rainbow Dash and Rarity, don't you? I mean…I can't say for sure. I shouldn't assume. Sorry.

* * *

Dear Fluttershy,

You did the right thing…as, I'll add, did Twilight. The last thing we want is a civil war. There are ignorant, cruel ponies out there, but there are also regular ponies who want equality and peace, even if they seem very rare. I'll talk to Scowly first thing tomorrow.

Thanks,

Princess Celestia


	13. Chapter 13

**13 (Rainbow Dash)**

Attention Ponies of Ponyville,

You know me as Rainbow Dash, awesomest pony of all time and inventor of the Sonic Rain-Boom. You may have seen me more recently as Magneto, leader of the X-Ponies and defender of freedom. I write this letter to give you fair warning: I am returning to Ponyville. I plan to keep it.

Your wack-ness has not gone unnoticed. You have harassed the innocent and locked up the guiltless. You have responded to peacefulness with violence. You have constructed factories that unleash weapons of war upon Equestria. I am putting an end to this horse-doody.

When my army and I arrive at Ponyville this evening, we will expect to see:

1) All of the prisoners released

2) The SENTINEL factories completely demolished

3) The fence torn down

4) A trial for so-called "Mayor" Pureflank and her goons, as well as any sympathetic to her cause

5) A written formal apology and pledge to assist my army against the other cities of Equestria

6) A big ol' flag with my face and the words "Rainbow Dash is Super Awesome!"

Anything less than full cooperation, and I will crush Ponyville like a grape under my hoof. You may be contemplating calling the Royal Guard. Go ahead. See if care. I'm so awesome that I could stomp you all out without even blinking, but I'm giving you a few hours to come your flippin' senses.

Repent, jack-asses, for the end is flippin' nigh.

DASH

* * *

Dear Princess Celestia, Twilight, Applejack, Fluttershy, Pinky Pie, Professor Furman, and Spike,

I'm leaving you this note, a copy of the one I wrote the Ponyville Ponies. After Scowly spilled the beans to Blabbershy last night, I figured that we should leave a day early. I borrowed the jet (sorry!) and the Princess's psychic-wave-blocking helmet. No offense, but when there are meddling psychics nearby, I like to keep my brain interference-free. Twilight knows what I'm talking about.

I hope you read my note to Ponyville and thought "Rock on, Rainbow Dash!" I hope you'll come around to my point of view like Rarity and Scowly did. Though tensions have been high lately, I consider all you guys my best friends, and I'd love to keep being the X-Ponies with you. But it's not fair to double-marks everywhere for us to keep playing games. We have to take a stand, even if it's a harsh one. The time for winning hearts and hooves is over. It's time for some cleansing destruction.

If I can't persuade you, (and if I was sure that I could, I would have talked to you face-to-face rather than writing this note) then I urge you to keep to yourselves. If you can't face the hard truths about Equestria, then let me do the dirty work and stay out of my way. Cause if you try to stop me, there will be a fight, and I really, really don't want that to happen. To you.

DASH

ps. If you do arrive to fight alongside us, know that we've made a change to our outfits. We decided that they should show off our cutie marks – not the boring ones on the flank, but the new awesome ones on the neck. Why should we ashamed of our totally rad powers? We're the future of ponies. _Equus Superior_. Hope to see you at Ponyville, sporting your true colors. Dash out.


	14. Chapter 14

**14 (Twilight Sparkle)**

Dear Princess Celestia,

Apologies are always worthless, but you have all of mine, forever.

I've compiled this group of our letters because they form a neat documentation of the last month. Once an academic, always an academic, I suppose. Nopony had yet written, though, about the Battle of Ponyville and its aftermath. As part of my – I'm not sure what the word would be – I've decided to try to write you a complete history of that day. See if it rings familiar. I'll try to encapsulate not only my own experience but also what others were doing and thinking. How can know all this, you ask; what am I, psychic?

I hope that, in time, that sort of joke will be funny.

Ok, let's start at the beginning. After reading and rereading Rainbow Dash's crazy ultimatums, our ragtag group scrambled into the X-Copter (since Dash had stolen our jet) and headed for Ponyville. While you and Dr. Furman were piloting, the rest of us held a council of war.

"So what're we gonna do when we get there?" said Spike.

I rounded on him. "What do you mean, 'what're we gonna do?'? Are we even discussing this? We take her down!"

"Rainbow Dash did have some good points in that letter," said Fluttershy. "I know it was all kind of…Rainbow Dash-y…but maybe she's doing a good thing. After all, there are so many innocent ponies who have been locked up."

"I'm not arguing about that part," I said. "But Dash sounded like she was gonna destroy the whole town if she didn't get her way. And she won't get her way; the new Mayor of Ponyville is never going to agree to that list."

"Dash is bluffing," said Apple Jack. "I'm sure she wants to rattle 'em good, but I doubt she'll do more than bust a hole in the jail and break some SENTINELs, which, I ain't gonna lie, I got no problem with."

"And if she does more than that," Fluttershy asked me softly. "You'll just brain-wash her into behaving again?"

"What's this?" said Applejack.

"Wh..who wants to see a card trick?" said Pinky Pie.

"Twilight took over Dash's mind on our last adventure," said Fluttershy, and I realized I had never heard her quiet voice drop to that icy temperature before. "She humiliated her. I think that is maybe what triggered her leaving."

"Ok, someone needs to pick a card…any card…"

"Twilight!" Applejack stared me down, but I couldn't meet her red goggles. "You promised me you would never do that."

"It was an emergency," I said. "Dash was about to attack some bystanders with a metal beam."

"And meanwhile, there I was, with my power to make objects pass harmlessly through other objects," said Fluttershy. "Or didn't you notice me?"

"Oh look, it's…a joker! WHA? THIS WHOLE DECK IS JOKERS? HOW CAN IT BEEEEE?"

"Have you ever taken over my mind?" asked Applejack. "Is that how we do the whole dream thing?"

"No!" I snapped my head up. "Applejack, I swear…"

"Ta-da!" shouted Pinky, throwing the cards in the air, then bursting into tears. "Ta-da! Ta-da! Oh please don't fight, please don't, we've already lost three friends, and I can't stand the thought of… Please, please don't fight…"

The group was silent for a moment, until Applejack cleared her throat. "We – you're right, Pinky. We should save this until we actually know what's going on."

"Can…can we have a group hug?" sniffled Pinky.

We gathered for a group hug but I noticed that my front leg passed through Fluttershy without touching her. And of course, Applejack's expression was impossible to read through her visor.

* * *

We smelled Ponyville before we saw it: the smell of burning apples and wood. As the X-Copter came closer, we saw other signs of ruin: a metal fence twisted beyond all recognition, the crumbling gravel that was once a statue of the great Ponyville founder Lauren F. Ponyville. And then, through the smoke, we saw the SENTINELs, battling among the burning houses and businesses of our city.

Rainbow Dash was standing on the head of the largest SENTINEL, eyes furious with concentration. She had taken control of at least four, which were unloading their full arsenal on the granite Ponyville Courthouse, as well as anything that came into their view. Behind them were three other independent SENTINELs, still bellowing "DESTROY" and attacking Rainbow Dash, who deflected their missiles with a shrug. Far below the fighting robots, the ground was filled with panicking citizens, trying to find refuge in the town that was collapsing around them. I saw that the Canterlot Royal Guard had indeed been called, but, as many of them wore metal armor, they were mostly pinned helplessly to the ground by Dash's magnetic grip. Those that escaped the confines of their own helmets and plates had to deal with attacks from a livid Scowly and a fully diamond Rarity.

"Take us to Dash!" you yelled, and Dr. Furman navigated our X-Copter through the flying missiles and lasers to hover near the mecha-beast's head. When we saw Dash's face, her eyes were already locked on us. They were very pink.

"Glad you finally made it," she said. We could see the place where her yellow jumpsuit had been ripped, proudly displaying the magnet on her neck. "If you could take out those three SENTINELs behind me, I'd appreciate it. I'm only able to override the circuits of four at a time. For now."

"Dash, you have to stop this," you said. "You're going to destroy the town."

"Like I said I would, Princess. I gave them a choice, and they laughed in my face."

"Ponies are going to die."

"I figure that any ponies that aren't already huge jerks have already left this crud-wad town."

"My family's still here!" yelled Applejack, and Rainbow Dash's confidence faltered.

"Well, obviously I'm not gonna attack your kid sister, or any of them…I mean…"

"How can you tell?" I said. "How can you tell what you're hitting in this chaos?"

I should have kept my mouth shut. When Rainbow Dash saw me, her eyes narrowed and she seemed to forget about the dilemma that had plagued her a second earlier. "Hey, Phoenix. I already know you how _you_ want to resolve this conflict." She rapped her shiny helmet with a hoof. "But I have a little protection now to keep you out of my mind. So go find Applejack's sister and help her get to safety. You have my permission to do that. Otherwise, you better beat it."

"I'm sorry, Rainbow Dash," you said. "I know your heart is in the right place, but you can't just force a confrontation like this in a civilian area. You're moving too fast."

"Princess, I always move too fast," she said. "I'm friggin' Rainbow Dash."

But as she spoke, your horn began to glow. With a flick of your head, you telekinetically lifted Rainbow Dash into the air. Furious, Dash screamed and our metal X-Copter crumpled like a paper bag. The blades flew off, the windows shattered as the frames bent, and the sides of the cockpit crushed in, jumbling us together. In a second, our transport had turned into a box without escape, hurtling towards the ground. It would have been the end, but Fluttershy somehow managed to find all of us in the darkness and phase us through the walls of the dying copter, into the evening air. Of course, there was still the matter of us plummeting, but your horn glowed a bright pink, and we all felt our momentum slow as you eased us back to earth.

When we landed, we looked to you, as always, for what to do next. You didn't disappoint. "Alright, here's the plan," you said. "Fluttershy, stop Scowly from attacking everyone. Pinky-Pie, Furman, Applejack, see how many SENTINELs you can take down, and try to protect the local Ponies while your at it. Twilight, Spike, try to stop Rarity…"

"I'd rather go with Fluttershy," said Spike, and he stretched his little dragon wings and flew over to her side. I was flabbergasted.

"Spike? How long have you have wings?" I asked. He gave me a rueful smile and departed with Fluttershy without answering my question. Trying to hide my guilt and hurt feelings, I turned back to you. "What about you, Princess?"

You looked skyward and your face was grim. "I'm going to try to stop Magneto."


	15. Chapter 15

**15 (Twilight Sparkle)**

This is what happened next, as best as I can piece it together.

Fluttershy and Spike darted through the chaos of Ponyville, hopping over prostrate guards and ducking under flashing lasers.

"Where is he?" asked Spike.

"He shouldn't be hard to find," Fluttershy said. "He's not really very subtle."

They were passing an old malt shop, when a Royal Guard crashed through the window and collapsed on the ground.

"Scowly!" shouted Fluttershy. "Are you in there? It's me!"

Scratched and sweating, Scowly Lobo swaggered out. He was balanced on his hind legs, and his two foot claws were extended.

"Heya, sweetheart. Thought you didn't go in for these sort of shenanigans."

"I'm…I'm…I'm…I'm hear to stop you," mumbled Fluttershy. "Surrender or…or else."

Scowly laughed. "Kid, you got lots of good qualities, but intimidation ain't one of 'em."

"Hey, here's an idea," said Spike, flying closer. "Have you ever tried not being a complete jerk?"

Scowly became his namesake. "Beat it, flappy. This ain't the place for pets."

"Yeah?" said Spike. "Could a pet do this?" He took a deep breath and shot a huge fireball from his mouth. Scowly ducked but one of the twin tufts in his mane ignited and he had to roll on the ground to put it out.

"Oh dear," said Fluttershy. "Are you…"

"NOBODY sets Scowly Lobo on fire!" said Scowly, and he scrambled up and hit Spike with a mighty punch that sent the dragon spinning through the air. Scowly then turned and chivalrously extended a paw to Fluttershy. "Look, cutie, you're out of your element here. Let me walk you somewhere safe, maybe with lots of birdies, and I'll come get you when I'm done."

Fluttershy smiled, but as soon as her hoof connected with Scowly's paw, her face grew serious. "Let's get a few things straight, buster. One, I don't know if you just handle rejection really badly or if Spike is right and your just a jerk jerk jerky-pants. Either way, you need to get over yourself. Two, I'm not a cutie, or a kid, or your sweetheart. I'm a gosh-darn X-Pony, which is more than I can say for you. And three, I'm not leaving this fight." Her grip tightened. "You are."

"What–"

Scowly never got a chance to finish his sentence: Fluttershy activated her power, pulled Scowly down to the ground and phased him through it. Down and down they went, passing through layers of earth, clay and rock as if they were ghosts. Finally, several thousand feet below the surface of the earth, Fluttershy found a small cave.

"Here," she said. "I'll come get you when we're done saving the day."

She let go of Scowly, who immediately became solid again and fell into the darkness. "You can't leave me down here!" he roared. She couldn't see him, but she could hear the clang of his claws on the rocks. "You can't leave me!"

Fluttershy scoffed. "'Little birdies.' Honestly!" She turned and phased through the ceiling of the cave, slowly making her way back to the surface.

"Alright, Applejack," said Dr. Furman as they approached a SENTINEL. "There's this trick that my friend Shiny Comrade taught me that I want to try. It's called a Fastball Special."

"Oo! I love Fastball!" said Pinky Pie, as she appeared beside them. "Or wait…I think I do? Is it more like Dodgeball or Hoofball? Because those two are my FAVORITE!"

"It's an attack move," said Dr. Furman, shaking his blue, hairy head. "Pinky, I can't tell whether you're being deliberately dense sometimes or just determined to rattle my composure."

"Actually, I'm more of the classic Jester archetype; carefree and uninhibited, but therefore free to say the things that no one else will," said Pinkie Pie with a wink.

"Right," said Applejack, as Dr. Furman blinked in surprise. "So how in tarnation does this Fastball Special work?"

"Well, the head is the Achilles Heel of the SENTINEL," explained Dr. Furman. "So if I can manually catapult you to an altitude where you…"

"Oh! You throw her in the air and she shoots them in the face with eye lasers!" said Pinky Pie. "Did I figure it out?"

"Y…yes. That's what it is."

"Awright," said Applejack. "Let's do this."

Almost timidly, Dr. Furman scooped up Applejack in his enormous split hooves and hurled her into the sky towards the SENTINEL.

"Hey!" said Pinky, staring at him. "You have weirdo freaky-hooves like me!"

"What?" said Dr. Furman. "Oh. Yes. It was part of my secondary mutation, having my hoofs split into independent digits. Not as dextrous as yours, though. I think you might be able to assist in some of the more fine motor tasks in the laboratory, should you have any proclivity towards–"

"Keep thinking of that word you're searching for," said Pinky, "but while you were talking, Applejack just blasted off the SENTINEL's face, and now I think I'd better catch her before she hits the ground."

She winked out of existence and reappeared by Applejack's falling body. "Hey, Cyclops! That was pretty nifty!"

"Thanks. You are gonna rescue me, right?"

"Like a SUPERHERO I am!" said Pinky Pie. She grabbed Applejack's hoofs and the two disappeared with a puff of smoke. They reappeared on the ground next to Dr. Furman as the headless SENTINEL crashed to the ground.

"Splendid! One down, six to go!" said Dr. Furman, and he turned and trotted off.

"By the way," Pinky Pie whispered to Applejack. "You guys are really cute."

"Huh?" said Applejack. "Like when he throws me?"

"What? No! Not you and Beast, weird!" said Pinky Pie. "You and Twilight, dummy!" She laughed. "I'm always the first to figure these things out, you see."

"Oh!" said Applejack. "I guess I hadn't thought…I mean…" She struggled to find words and eventually decided on, "Aw, shucks."

Yes, I was psychically eavesdropping the whole time, and yes, my heart did stop for a second or two.

* * *

At this point, I was still trying to find Rarity, but the smoke and chaos made this a difficult task. I wove through panicing ponies and flying projectiles, calling out, but I could barely hear my own voice. It was especially loud near the old stone Courthouse, which was weathering the majority of the SENTINELs' attacks. As I approached, I saw Mayor Constance Pureflank – the leader of SNUMP – leaning from a Courthouse window and bellowing into a megaphone. "Normal ponies, defend yourselves! Stand up to the freaks! Royal Guards! Attack! Somepony–" She ducked away from the window as one of the SENTINELs missiles exploded against the side of the building.

I watched to see if she would reappear, but before I could tell, I heard a terrified whinny and spun around. Three big colts, wearing the outfits of official Canterlot Royal Guards, were fleeing in terror, knocking themselves over in a scramble to get away from–

"Rarity!" I yelled. Rarity, shining bright in her diamond form, stopped chasing the Guards and turned to me.

"Hello, Twilight, dear," she said, cautiously. "Are you here to help or to fight?"

"I'm here to talk," I said. "We've got to stop this."

She nodded. "And are you going to let me decide that for myself? If I would change back into my normal form, would I find you invading my mind?"

"Look, I made a mistake, ok? But I think Dash is making one, too. Look around! Is this what you thought coming back to Ponyville would be like?"

Rarity glanced around, and I saw uncertainty on her face. "I was expecting that more of the younger ponies would have left…that we'd just find Constance Pureflank and those who chased me…but there's so many of our old friends still here…"

"Dash won't talk to me," I said. "But she might listen to you. Tell her that she's made her point, ask her to back off, and we can all fight SENTINELs another day. But not here. Not like this."

She took a deep breath and looked up into the sky where you, Princess, and Dash were dueling. She gave me a little smile and took a step forward, only to be hit by a bright green projectile and thrown into the air. She collided against the granite side of the Courthouse and, limp, tumbled to the ground. I rushed over. Rarity's diamond surface was riddled with cracks, and though she was still breathing, her eyes did not open when I called her name.

"RARITY!"

"Made your choice, huh, little sis?" I spun around and looked up into the eyes of my big brother, General Shining Armor of the Royal Guard. It took my brain a few moments to recognize him; I hadn't seen him since I became a double-mark, a complete lifetime ago. Strapped to his back was a small metal cannon, glowing with an intense green light.

"When you didn't write again," he said, with a sad expression in his blue eyes, "I thought – I hoped – that Celestia had destroyed your letters, that she had locked you up. But that didn't happen, huh? You just decided not to write again."

"Yes," I whispered. "What you said about her…and about my friends…I couldn't even believe it was you."

"Twily, my cutie-mark – my ONE and ONLY cutie-mark – is a shield. It's my job to maintain order. Did you honestly think I'd ignore terrorist activity just because it was your friends doing the terrorizing? Now, are you to help me clean up this mess, or are you going to help your buddies destroy the town?"

"What's on your back?" I asked, largely to avoid answering his question.

"This?" he said. "This is our brand-new Plasma Launcher. Wasn't supposed to be deployed yet, but since your friend Magneto seems to be able to control our SENTINELs…let's she how she handles a blast from one of these babies." He looked over at Rarity's still form. "Likely not as well as your diamond friend."

I felt rage tighten my stomach muscles, and for an instant it felt like my orange second mark burned with actual fire. "Shining Armor, I'm really sorry."

His expression softened. "Me, too, sis. But it's not too late for you. I meant what I said. After I finish this battle, I'll take you to the finest doctors in Canterlot, and we'll–"

"You misunderstand me," I said, and my voice sounded strange to my ears. "I'm sorry for this." I closed my eyes and reached into his mind. It was easier to invade than Rainbow Dash's had been. I was immediately immersed in my brother's senses, thoughts, feelings, and memories…but even his feeling of horror didn't slow me down for more than a second. Methodically, I rooted and planted, replacing him aspect by aspect, turning my stubborn sibling into exactly what I needed him to be.

Your name is Wilting Dewdrop, I said into the vacuum of his mind. You will run from Ponyville and drop that Plasma Launcher of yours into a pond. You will then hide in the nearby orchard. I will come find you in one day's time to give you further instructions.

Shining Armor looked at me, his face terrified and uncomprehending, until I shouted, "Go!" and he took off galloping. I only watched him for a moment.

* * *

And throughout it all, you, Princess Celestia took to the sky and battled Rainbow Dash. Everypony was aware of it, if only in their periphery; everypony saw the flashing lights and heard the rumble of thunder and the spinning of metal. It was a fight that took place over a great distance, for neither of you would allow the other to come close. You used your telekinetic energy to hurl energy bolts at her, while she retaliated with metal missiles and lightning strikes. In a few minutes' time, the stolen SENTINEL that had served as Dash's mount had taken more punishment than it could possibly withstand. It toppled to the ground, and Dash raised her Pegasus wings and flew high into the air, out of sight. For a moment, you considered the possibility that she was retreating.

I wasn't watching when she dove at you like a Peregrine Falcon, but I felt the impact – I imagine all Ponyville felt it. Dash's momentum knocked you downwards, and the two of you struggled as you fell like a comet. You broke free at the last moment and flapped your wings to safety, but Dash hit the grassy hill and rolled for the length of a Hoofball field. Dazed, she stood at the outskirts of the town, near the warped metal fence that formed the perimeter. And there, in the crowds of ponies looking for a way through the fence, she saw my brother.

"Hey!" Dash shouted. "Aren't you Twilight's brother? What are you doing here?"

"My name is Wilting Dewdrop," he said, running headlong into the fence again and again. "I need to get out. I need to throw this Plasma Launcher in a lake. Then I need to…"

"Did you say Plasma Launcher?" interrupted Dash. "Man, that sounds awesome! I was just thinking that my plan had a terrible lack of Plasma Launchers." She waved a hoof, and the weapon drifted from my brother's back to Rainbow Dash's. "Thanks, Wilting Dewdrop!"

"Wait," my brother said feebly, but Rainbow Dash had already taken off running towards the Courthouse, where Mayor Constance Pureflank still hid.


	16. Chapter 16

**16 (Twilight Sparkle)**

The double doors to the mayor's courthouse office were locked together with loops of chain, but Rainbow Dash pushed through them as if they were paper.

"I'm looking for the mayor of Ponyville," Dash said, looking around the dark, spacious room. "I need to register a complaint."

There was silence, but Dash noticed a bulge behind the drawn window curtains. "Aw, c'mon, your excellency," she said. "Your citizens need you. Shouldn't be leaning out that window, shouting on your megaphone?"

Where there was no answer, Dash took the metal rings of the curtains in a magnetic grip and ripped the whole apparatus off the wall. "Hey, I'm talking to you, Mayor Pureflank!"

With as much dignity as she could muster, mayor and SNUMP founder Constance Pureflank stepped around the fallen curtains and faced Rainbow Dash. "I'm not afraid of you."

"No, I can totally tell. I always hide behind the curtains when I hear someone coming." Dash laughed. "Oh, man, you have things so backwards. The first time you came to Ponyville, you did seemed scared of us. Of me and my friends. And at that point, you had no reason to be. NO reason to be!" she repeated, suddenly snarling. "But now, you dumb filly, now that you're trying to pretend that you're so brave…now's a good flipping time to be afraid."

"Listen…I can give you whatever you want," said Pureflank, quaking at the new edge in Dash's voice. "I can make you mayor."

"Gosh, why wouldn't I want to be mayor of all this?" said Dash, waving a hoof towards the window and the wreckage visible below. She hopped on top of Pureflank's massive oak desk, scattering papers and staples. "Thanks, but I'll stick to being an awesome vigilante who takes down crazy bigots."

She reached a hoof up to the cannon on her back, and flipped a switch. The Plasma Launcher began to hum and glow with a green light.

"That's ours," said Constance Pureflank.

"I'm just borrowing it. Tell me, do you think it'll still work against Very Special Normal Ponies? Or do cannons like this only work on freaks?"

As she finished speaking, Dash lifted an ear. Faintly audible were the sound of hoofsteps coming up the stairs.

"That'll be the Royal Guard!" said Pureflank, smirking. "I knew you wouldn't get away with this."

Rainbow Dash fixed her with a cool gaze. "So you're saying that if I want to blast you, I should do it in the next minute?"

The hoofsteps grew louder, but still Rainbow Dash did not trigger the device on her back. The double doors opened, and Applejack and Pinky Pie stepped in. Applejack took a deep breath. "Dash, I reckon you need to put that thing down."

"Howdy doody, Cyclops," said Dash, echoing Applejack's country twang. "Yer just in time to see a varmint get licked."

"You don't have to do this," said Applejack.

"What is the big DEAL?" yelled Rainbow Dash. "I'm pointing their own guns back at them. I'm aiming at the jerk that chased us out of our home. Why is that so bad?"

"Because," said Pinky, and in a heartbeat, she teleported between Dash and the mayor, "you're actually aiming at me."

"Pinky, get out of the way," said Dash.

"I'm more comfortable here."

"I'm not joking around, Pinky!"

"And I," said Pinky, "am being a SUPERHERO! This is what superheroes do, Dash! They protect people, even jerky-pants like Mayor Stinkbutt here!"

"Hey," protested Constance Pureflank.

"Still saving your life," snapped Pinky. She shrugged at Dash. "So I'm not worth it to you…well, you can take us both out. But super heroes don't back down."

Dash reached her hoof up to the trigger…then paused. She lifted her other hoof as well, removed the Plasma Launcher, and pushed it away. The weapon slid off the desk and landed on the floor.

Applejack let out a long breath. "Pinky Pie, I think you just became my hero."

"You did it!" Pinky Pie vanished with a burst of smoke and reappeared next to Rainbow Dash, hugging her and knocking her off the desk. "I knew you weren't completely a evil psychopath like everyone was saying! Can we be Best Friends again?"

"Look out!" Applejack yelled. Constance Pureflank had leapt forward, lunging for the weapon on the ground. Clutching it in her hooves, she aimed the cannon at Dash and Pinky and pulled the trigger. The two flung themselves away, and the green plasma sphere ripped a gigantic hole in the wall where they had been standing. The night wind rushed in through the opening.

* * *

At this moment in time, I had been fighting off a pack of SNUMP ponies on the ground below. But when I saw a chunk of the courthouse explode in green light and felt Applejack's panic, I no longer cared what happened to me. I reached out through the mental plane and connected with Applejack's mind.

Through her eyes, I saw Constance Pureflank, in a room suddenly hazy with smoke and sawdust, pointing a cannon at a dazed Rainbow Dash, who for once in her life seemed unable to move quickly.

I felt lava course through my body as Applejack's laser eyes flash; her beam hit the Plasma Launcher as it was opening to shoot.

I heard a pop as the Plasma Launcher exploded in green fire that disintegrated Constance Pureflank as well as most of the wall behind her, and I felt my body fly through the air…

And then, for an instant before my mental link was broken, I felt nothing at all.

* * *

My consciousness rushed back into my own body. I was entangled in a net, but I didn't care. I looked past my jeering captors to the courthouse beyond. I saw two figures fall from a third story window, I heard a rumble, and then, with a horrifying abruptness, the granite building collapsed. The air filled with dust, blinding us all.

When it had cleared, Twilight Sparkle was gone, and only Phoenix remained.

In the first minutes, it was all too foreign to register as grief or rage. Though the fire was raging in the back of my mind, (or was there actual fire?) the scraps of my consciousness exhorted me to Just Check One Thing, not to jump to any conclusions till I had Checked One Thing. The phoenix that was my second mark smoldered and smoked on my neck, and I realized that I had, until that moment, left the iceberg of my true potential deep below the waters.

The net around me ignited and burned into nothingness (literal fire then, duly noted). I stood. The SNUMP ponies backed up. "What's going on with her mane?" asked one.

I reached into their minds and looked at myself – at my mane of flickering fire, my glowing white eyes, my outfit that had suddenly turned a deep red. My whole body was shaking and pulsing with an orange light and my face was twisted in an expression of pain and anguish…which was ridiculous because I was fine I was fine I was fine I just needed to Check One Little Thing and then everything would be fine.

"She's freaking me out," said one of the SNUMP ponies, a unicorn, and I returned to my own eyes. "Take her down!" He rushed at me with his horn lowered and I decided he should be dust instead, and in an instant he was. The other ponies backed away and I turned them to ash as well. I didn't look back. I had somewhere I needed to be.

I flew to the wreckage of the Courthouse (why had I ever bothered with walking why had I not let my mind do what it wanted to do) and stopped by the bodies of two ponies. Light blue and dark blue – Dash and Pinky Pie, then, but that didn't mean anything, that didn't count as Checking.

"Twilight?" Dash said with a groan, and rolled over. "Twilight, is that you?"

_Where is she?_ I asked. It suddenly felt very important that I not use my throat. Then I remembered that Dash couldn't hear my thoughts, hidden behind her protective helmet, so I cracked her helmet in two and asked again.

"I…I'm sorry, Twilight," said Dash. "There wasn't enough time; it all happened so fast." I felt the scraps of my conscious mind curl, like paper in a fire.

_You left her there. She saved you and you left her there._

"Twilight, I couldn't…"

_Twilight's gone. You left her in the Courthouse too._

"Listen, help me carry Pinky–"

But the One Little Thing had been Checked and now there was only the fire, the need to tear down the world, to make it Then and not Now.

Could I bring her back, rebuild her? I mentally reached out into the void around me and desperately searched for some spark, some echo, some semblance of the pony I had loved, but there was nothing to be found. My psychic omniscience was a terrible curse…I could so clearly see what no longer there.

So instead I did the only thing I could think to do: I tore the remaining SENTINELs to slag, the remaining trees to ribbons, the remaining houses to shards. I saw Rainbow Dash back away from me in terror, so, in the closest thing to humor that the Phoenix knew, I turned her into a turtle.

I looked to the sky and soared upwards. It was all too close! I had to get away from the granite tomb of the courthouse, away from those who might try to calm me, away from Ponyville and the memories it held.

"Twilight!" I wheeled and saw you, my old teacher and mentor, Princess Celestia, flying up to me on your great white wings. Your eyes were full of tears. "Twilight, what are you doing?"

_Go away, Princess._

"Twilight, I know that Applejack wouldn't have wanted you to–"

"DON'T SAY HER NAME!" I screamed. Until Applejack's name had been spoken, I had been giving my grief and rage as sacrificial offerings to the new fire within me, but suddenly they threatened to overwhelm me. I screamed again, and, in the mindset of a wounded animal, I invaded your mind.

Taking over Rainbow Dash's mind had been a challenge. Yours was a full-fledged battle.

With your formidable psychic powers, you pushed and struggled against my unchecked fury, but I was relentless. Your strength began to fade, and wherever a gap appeared in your mental armor, the phoenix fire spread. Eventually, I held your mind as I had held the others, and in a frenzy, I tore out your memories, thoughts, and feelings.

I did not bother to replace them.

Your expression went blank, and your wings stopped flapping. Lifeless, you fell through the clouds and I did not bother to watch you hit the ground. I had bigger things to create and to destroy, bigger challenges with which to distract myself, to keep reality from catching up to me. Wildly, I spun the winds and the clouds around, building up the force for a storm to end all storms. Equestria would have to be demolished, I realized. I would tear down the world and build a new one in its place. By this, only by this, would the last shreds of Twilight Sparkle be consumed. Unlike Twilight, the Phoenix would feel no pain.

* * *

What happened next should have been impossible. I was surrounded by swirling winds and humming electricity, yet somehow my ears picked up a quiet sound on the earth below, and it made all other sounds fall silent.

"Do you hear the ponies sing, say, do you hear them break the chains? It is the whinny of the horses that have put aside their reigns."

Apple Bloom. Apple Jack's younger sister was still alive, still singing. I dropped from the sky and flew over Ponyville, trying to locate the source of the plaintive song.

"When the beating of your heart echoes the beating of the drums, there is a life about to start when tomorrow comes."

I found Apple Bloom sitting at the wreckage of the Courthouse, sniffling. She was a tiny little pony, still half my size and with no cutie mark on her flank. She didn't look much like her big sister – she was lighter in coloration, and her mane, rather than yellow, was pink with a single white stripe – but as I watched her sing softly to herself, I couldn't help but think of the way Applejack would sing, off-key, in her sleep.

You might think this would fuel my grief still more, but for the first time, I felt somewhat calm. I need to protect Apple Bloom, I thought. Whatever I make out of this world, there needs to be a place for her to grow and thrive in next.

"Apple Bloom?" I called out. I landed and walked over to her. "It's ok, I'm here."

"Don't touch me!" whimpered Apple Bloom. I figured, at the time, that she was scared of my appearance.

"It's alright," I reassured her. "It's alright," and I put a hoof on her mane.

As soon as I touched her, I felt my body seize up like I had touched an electric current. I tried to move, but I was frozen in place. I felt a distinct sensation of being drained– the power and fire of the phoenix was flowing out of me. My skin paled and my knees shook until I fell, unable to stand. Apple Bloom, terrified, wrenched away. Through my blurring vision, I saw that her eyes were now white, as mine had been. And when the wind lifted her mane, which was suddenly made of fire, I saw that she had the mutant mark on her neck: a shining mirror.

Apple Bloom darted away, and I found myself unable to get to my feet. I struggled to see her in the dust, but it became harder and harder to keep my eyes open. I smiled, and closed my eyes. I was convinced of three things.

Apple Bloom was a mutant, like the rest of us.

Her special ability had drained me of my powers and my lifeforce, leaving me to die.

This was for the best, for everyone involved.


	17. Epilogue

**Epilogue (Twilight Sparkle)**

Dear Princess Celestia,

I've written and revised this letter over and over again. It began as an act of penance – confessing my crimes to the ponies of Equestria. Then, as it grew in length, I began conceiving it as a history book. When I came to describe my time as Dark Phoenix, it grew more personal, as I tried to convey the state of my mind (and I hope you will forgive any stylistic indulgences I used in getting there!). But now that I'm coming to the end of my story, I feel most like writing thank you notes. Our story sometimes causes me to despair for pony nature, but it also gives me reasons to hope.

I have hope in the power of perseverance, the power that led an exhausted Fluttershy, long after the battle ended, to find us all in the ruins of Ponyville and drag us to safety.

I have hope in the power of forgiveness, the power that led Dr. Furman to shelter all of the wounded in the hospital wing of our hideout, including those (Rainbow Dash, Shining Armor, SNUMP ponies, me) that had no right to expect any help.

I have hope in the power of friendship, the power that led Pinky Pie to throw a party in my room on the day I could open my eyes again and that led Spike to bake me a truly terrible batch of cupcakes.

I have hope in the power of magic, which Rarity now studies night and day as she works to master the complicated spells that will return Rainbow Dash back into her normal self. As of the time of this writing, Dash has the head of a pony and the body of a turtle, but progress is progress.

I have hope in the power of healing. I have heard (though I've been too afraid to visit) that you have regained most of your memories, as has my brother Shining Armor. I wish your legs would heal in the same way – I wish every night that I had slowed your fall, or, better, never have caused it in the first place – but Dr. Furman tells me that you quite like the mechanical chair he made you, so there's hope there as well.

I have hope in the new generation. Apple Bloom visits my hospital bed every day and tells me how excited she is to be an X-Pony now, how she has an awesome outfit and gets to train in the Party Room. She says her code name is "Rogue," which I think fits her just perfectly. She says that her favorite teacher is Pinky but that Scowly Lobo's fight classes are pretty fun too. We talk about Applejack, too, and cry together, and it's hard, but there's already healing going on there as well.

I have hope in the power of acceptance. As I write this, most cities still hate and fear us, including the powerful Canterlot, but there are a few that have declared themselves safe havens for the different. As word spreads of the X-Ponies' bravery, perhaps there will be more.

You'll have to tell me, should you choose to write back.

* * *

By the time you read this letter, I'll have left the hospital wing. I'm not sure where I'm going yet, but I need to find (as cheesy as this sounds) myself, Twilight Sparkle, and make sure I'm strong enough to fight the Phoenix inside me, should it reappear. One day, the powers that Apple Bloom drained from me will reemerge, and when that happens, I want to be prepared…and alone. Don't look for me – you won't find me. But I hope that there comes a day when I feel it's safe to return to Professor Celestia's School for Gifted Young Ponies.

Thanks for everything, Princess Celestia. Tell Apple Bloom I'll write. Tell everyone Pinky that Dr. Furman obviously has a huge crush on her and that she should go for it. Tell everyone else to get along as best they can.

Tell them that friendship, not mutation, is the source of our magic.

Love,

Twilight Sparkle


End file.
